Desperate homeless man must pay £1,271 after damaging police car

A man with mental health difficulties caused £1,151 of damage to a police car after he had struggled to get help from officers at a police station.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on July 20 how John Bates, 33, now of Ashgate Road, Chesterfield, struck the nearside, front door of the police vehicle at Bakewell police station, on Granby Road.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Police confirmed they had originally been contacted by the ambulance service and that they were heading to Bakewell police station in response to a call from a male.

“On arrival of the ambulance service the male had gone but a police car had suffered damage to the front, nearside door with a crease.”

Police said they had also received a call from a male who was banging on the windows to the police station and the man had been told to go to Matlock police station.

Bates was interviewed by police and said he had been in hospital the previous evening and had attempted to get help at the hospital and discussed medication and that at the time he was of no fixed abode.

He added that he went on to the police station in Bakewell and said he had been told someone would be with him in five minutes but when no one came he damaged the police vehicle.

Mrs Allsop added: “He wanted to set the alarm off so someone would come outside.”

Bates pleaded guilty to damaging the police vehicle after the incident on July 11.

Defence solicitor Karen Moxon-Smith said Bates suffers with mental health problems and on the night in question he had had a couple of pints and he felt lonely and anxious and had no where to stay.

Magistrates fined Bates £120 and ordered him to pay £1,151 in compensation.